Archive for the ‘Service Industries’ Category

By Jason Lindesmith, Acting Director, Communications, U.S. Field, U.S. Commercial Service

Attendees listen as Erin Walsh, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service delivers remarks on Sept. 18 in Cleveland.

Last week in Cleveland, more than 350 participants attended U.S. Commercial Service’s showcase forum, Discover Global Markets: U.S. Manufacturers to Europe and Beyond.

Discover Global Markets (DGM) events highlight the unique strengths of the U.S. Commercial Service and its global network. U.S. government trade experts representing more than 16 international markets, and dozens of industry experts descended on Cleveland to help hundreds of small businesses establish and grow their exports.

One of the keynote speakers, Erin Walsh, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, addressed the crowd to stress the importance of free and fair trade in expanding U.S. exports:

“The International Trade Administration and its U.S. Commercial Service plays a unique role in connecting both large and small U.S. companies to trading partners around the world,” Erin said. “Our Commercial Specialists around the globe thrive on providing the personal touch for our clients. We help U.S. businesses succeed in trade through customized solutions, from how to get your products through customs to commercial diplomacy such as breaking down barriers to entry.”

So how does the DGM agenda showcase the strengths of the U.S. Commercial Service?

U.S. Commercial Service staff from the International Trade Administration offered clients personal attention and held over 290 one-on-one counseling sessions with U.S. companies, helping them develop strategies for international growth. These sessions included staff representing more than 16 international markets from our global network of trade and policy professionals.

Where else can you receive one-on-one feedback from in-country experts from around the world without needing to travel overseas?

In addition, DGM demonstrated our extensive domestic contacts across U.S. manufacturing industries – more than 50 meetings between manufacturing original equipment manufacturers and prospective small business suppliers took place at the event. Breaking into global supply chains can provide small businesses the opportunity to sell into many global markets within a short time.

The next DGM event will be held in Kansas City, Mo. in April 2018 and will focus on design and construction sectors.

I encourage you to subscribe to the DGM e-mail list for any updates as the next event comes together. I look forward to seeing you there so you can take advantage of the U.S. Commercial Service’s strengths on display!

It’s already that time of year again: our team is gearing up for the next SelectUSA Investment Summit. On June 20-22, 2018, the SelectUSA team will join thousands of international business investors, economic developers, and service providers at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center to convene the highest-level event of its kind in the United States.

This past June, SelectUSA held its largest Investment Summit yet. Hosted by Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and headlined by Secretaries Alexander Acosta (Labor), Steven T. Mnuchin (Treasury), and Rick Perry (Energy), as well as the UK Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox, the 2017 Summit brought more than 2,800 international participants together. The 79,000-sq.-ft. Exhibition Hall was filled to capacity with economic development organizations from 51 U.S. states and territories. CEOs from prominent U.S. and foreign companies participated in armchair discussions and breakout sessions to discuss the latest developments in FDI. I encourage you to read my summary blog post here for more details.

Of course, none of this happened overnight; planning for this important event is neither quick nor simple. Our team spends many months fine-tuning and developing ideas into reality. We are dedicated to bringing high quality discussions and influential thought leaders and executives to the Summit every year. Next year will be no exception, and we want to ensure that it is not only relevant, but full of information that can be instantly used to increase investment in the United States.

The SelectUSA team is planning the plenary and breakout sessions, Investment Academy, Exhibition Hall, and more. There are a lot of exciting developments in the pipeline, but we want you to be involved as well! Indeed, much of the content of previous Summits came from proposals from our stakeholders and partners across the fields of economic development and FDI.

So, we want to hear from you. What are your ideas for topics that should be covered? Do you have a speaker in mind? Is there a subject that needs to be included? The Call for Proposals is live; let us know what should be included in the program.

Additionally, we are looking to fill the Summit events calendar with collateral and spin-off events, hosted by our friends in the economic development community. These events are often where new job-creating investments begin, and we want to build on the success of last year’s calendar. SelectUSA welcomes your input and we want to make the 2018 Summit our best yet.

With more than $12 billion in exports in 2016, U.S. branded personal care and cosmetics are among the most highly desired brands in many overseas markets. During the past five years, U.S. exports in the sector have grown at five percent to six percent annually. Employing thousands of Americans across the country, the U.S. personal care and beauty industry is a critical component of the U.S. economy.

North American Beauty Events (NABE) became an International Trade Administration Strategic Partner to help U.S. companies in this sector deliver their high-quality products and services to the world. Based in Scottsdale, Ariz., this small business is the organizer of the largest business-to-business beauty industry trade show in the United States, Cosmoprof North America (CPNA). Attracting more than 1,100 exhibitors, almost 40 percent of whom come from overseas, this event focuses on helping its 33,000 attendees to discover unique brands and products, find new channels for distribution, packaging, and manufacturing, and to form key relationships with top industry professionals and retailers. Partnering with ITA has enabled NABE to offer export counseling, market briefings and business-to-business matchmaking to trade show participants, opening up global market opportunities to U.S. firms. The market for U.S.-branded products is only expected to grow, with another one billion new consumers coming online in emerging markets to create a $30 trillion consumer goods market by 2030.

Throughout the years, many companies have benefited from the services and support offered to CPNA exhibiting companies looking to expand distribution internationally. One such exhibitor, Pink Pewter (an ITA client), which specializes in unique and on-trend fashion forward hair jewelry, headbands and beauty products successfully used the trade shows’ resources to expand in Colombia, Costa Rica, the United Arab Emirates, Panama and South Africa.

“CPNA is a great place to find international distributors and has helped Pink Pewter export to countries we haven’t previously had as an option. This has helped our brand expand its presence internationally, thus growing our market reach tremendously,” said Alyx Martinez, Trade Show & Sales Director of Pink Pewter.

Underscoring its efforts to promote the personal care and beauty products industry, Cosmoprof North America recently won the President’s “E” Award for Export Service. Export Service award winners like CPNA have demonstrated a long-term commitment to support the export growth of U.S. business in measurable, innovative, and sustainable ways. To benefit from CPNA’s demonstrated commitment to helping U.S. companies export, join ITA and NABE at the annual Cosmprof North America trade show in Las Vegas on July 9-11th (www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com). ITA is offering complimentary counseling and buyer meetings to U.S. companies attending the show.

National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), now in its 34th year, is the annual salute to travel and tourism in America. During the first full week in May, communities across our nation unite to showcase the impact of travel to policymakers, business leaders and local media with rallies, events and other activities.

While the industry is focused on celebrating this week, the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), U.S. Foreign and Commercial Service offices around the globe, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), federal agencies responsible for the United States’ public and Native American lands (Interior, Agriculture, Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, etc.), and the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working together to put our best face forward when the world’s largest travel trade show, IPW, comes to Washington.

For the first time in its 49-year history, the U.S. Travel Association is bringing its premiere trade show, IPW, formerly known as the Discover America International Pow Wow, to the nation’s capital.

In just three days of intensive pre-scheduled business appointments, more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations from every region of the USA (representing all industry category components), and nearly 1,200 international and domestic buyers from more than 70 countries, conduct business negotiations that will generate more than $4.7 billion in future travel to the United States.

Given that travel and tourism is the United States’ largest services export and represented a $246.2 billion dollar infusion into the nation’s economy in 2015, the federal partners are pleased to have IPW in our backyard. In addition to providing the world’s U.S. travel goods and services buyers and the international media with an “up close and personal” look at all there is to see and do here in the nation’s capital, having IPW in Washington will also give U.S. Travel the opportunity to showcase the importance of the travel and tourism industry to our national elected officials.

America’s travel and tourism industry is on the rise. Representing $1.6 trillion in economic activity annually, this sector of our economy supports more than 7.9 million U.S. jobs, 1.2 million of which are directly attributable to international inbound travel – read exports. More people are employed by travel and tourism-related industries than are employed collectively in the construction industry, finance and insurance industries, agriculture, and education.

The federal partners are building new itineraries that will feature our national marine sanctuaries, wildlife refuges, lesser-known national parks, scenic byways and other federal properties. In addition, Commercial Service officers will meet with U.S. sellers, offering export assistance, and with international buyers, offering connections between them and U.S. sellers. The Department of Homeland Security will be taking appointments for enrollment in its trusted traveler programs and Native American tribal representatives and the Bureau of Indian Affairs will meet with international buyers to educate them about the tremendous product available on our Native Lands.

International travelers visit the United States to see big cities like New York, where you can ride a ferry to the Statue of Liberty, take a walk through Central Park and enjoy a Broadway show, all in one day.

People come to America to hike the California Coast, where you can find bonsai trees living in the shadows of the giant redwoods, a phenomenon that does not exist anywhere else on the planet.

People come to America to see some of the best art and culture in the world, from the globally renowned art collection at the Chicago Institute of Art to the back lots of Hollywood to the Crystal Bridges Art Museum in Bentonville, Ark., one of the hottest new museums in the country.

Our country’s diverse array of uniquely American experiences can stand up to any destination anywhere in the world, but we cannot take either our experiences or our visitors for granted. We must stay focused on maintaining a welcoming presence to the international buyer community and we believe a strong presence at IPW is one great way to accomplish that.

This blog was authored by U.S. Commercial Service Global Healthcare Team Leader September Secrist. The U.S. Commercial Service is the export promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.

The worldwide medical device market is expected to reach $398 billion in 2017, and the U.S. Commercial Service (CS) can help U.S. firms take advantage of this huge export potential. Exporting helps U.S. medical device companies increase sales, maintain or increase jobs and weather economic changes, but many firms think they are too small or that exporting is too complicated.

Approximately 80 percent of U.S. medical device firms are small and medium-sized businesses. Many are already exporting, but there is room to increase both the number of exporting firms as well as the number of markets they are selling to, and the CS Global Healthcare Team can help on both counts. Healthcare Team members have the industry expertise to:

Ask the right questions

Identify the best international markets for healthcare products and services

Recommend appropriate trade shows to attend

Advise on important issues such as standards and intellectual property protection

We recently launched a two-level specialist program to ensure that our international trade specialists continue to develop top-notch skills and industry expertise to help U.S. healthcare firms succeed in global markets.

The first level, “Healthcare Specialist,” designates a broad understanding of the sector, including major opportunities, challenges and the ability to effectively counsel any healthcare client. Koreen Grube (CS Milwaukee), Taylor Little (CS New Hampshire) and Michelle Ouellette (CS Boston) are the first three team members who have achieved the “Healthcare Specialist” designation.

The second level, “National Expert,” designates an in-depth expertise in one of several healthcare sub-sectors. William Lawton (CS Ft. Lauderdale) is the first team member to achieve “National Expert” recognition and his area of specialization is the death care sector.

Our National Expert, three Healthcare Specialists, and 75 team members throughout the United States are ready to assist U.S. healthcare firms in developing export strategies to go global. To learn more about the Team and how we can help your firm succeed in international markets, please visit the Global Healthcare Team website.

The Global Healthcare Team also offers the following resources to educate exporters about market opportunities and trends for a variety of healthcare-related products and services:

Padraic Sweeney is a Team Leader for the International Trade Administration’s Office of Industry & Analysis

Despite a negative overall outlook for 2017-2018, opportunities exist for U.S. agricultural equipment exporters willing to pursue them. The Black Sea Region has emerged as a major exporter of wheat, fueling Russian and Ukrainian imports of U.S. machinery. Low interest rates and funding from Brussels enable farmers in several European Union countries to invest in equipment. Western Hemisphere markets including Mexico, Chile and Peru present opportunities for exporters of certain types of equipment.

Nevertheless, U.S. exports of agricultural equipment will continue to decline in 2017-18. Market conditions responsible for the decline—which is a worldwide phenomenon—are unlikely to change in the near to medium term. Low prices for widely-traded agricultural commodities are expected to continue through 2018 and beyond. Large inventories of late-model used equipment will continue to be a drag on the market, especially in North America. Weak local currencies, a problem that intensified in late 2016 and early 2017, will impede recovery in many markets.

The 2017 ITA Agricultural Equipment Top Markets Report ranks countries to identify opportunity markets in a difficult global business climate, by relating export volumes, market growth in recent years, political and economic risk and future potential. The eight markets ranked in 2017 represent 60 percent of U.S. exports in 2015—the last year for which complete, globally comparable data were available as the report was written.

U.S. agricultural equipment exports will continue to decline in 2017-18 in the absence of major increases in global agricultural commodity prices. Such increases are unlikely. High interest rates in markets such as Brazil and South Africa will further constrain the recovery of U.S. exports. Low interest rates in others, especially the Eurozone, may mitigate somewhat the effects of low agricultural commodity prices. Weak local currencies relative to the U.S. dollar will also remain a barrier to exports of U.S. agricultural equipment. Low petroleum prices, if they continue, will hold down farmers’ production costs, while restraining economic growth and demand for imported foodstuffs in petroleum-producing countries.

Opportunities

In a generally bleak international marketplace, some bright spots could be found in 2016. The Russian and Ukrainian markets have shown significant growth, especially for equipment to produce grain, oilseeds and other commodity crops. U.S. exports to Russia were up an impressive 35 percent overall in the first six months of the year. Exports to Ukraine grew even more dramatically, by more than 204 percent. Improved economic conditions have led to the emergence of the Black Sea Region (Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan) as one of the world’s major wheat exporting areas. While impressive, this recovery is from very low levels and quite fragile, given the region’s high level of political risk.

In the European Union (EU), Germany in particular has shown surprising growth as a market for equipment for grains, oilseeds and other commodity crops. Extremely low interest rates in the Eurozone and the allocation of EU rural development funds for the Baltic, Central and Southeastern European countries provide immediate stimulus for agricultural equipment purchases in some markets. Especially for the EU’s former Soviet-bloc members, modernization of agricultural economies after decades of under-investment will continue to drive sales of agricultural equipment.

A number of Western Hemisphere FTA markets continue to present opportunities for U.S. exporters. Mexico is the United States’ largest market for tractor parts, engines and engine parts, and exports of these products to Mexico have expanded in both absolute and relative terms in recent years. Mexico is also a leading market for equipment for the cultivation of fresh produce and high-value crops, raising livestock, and for mowers and other power equipment. Chile and Peru have shown strong growth in recent years, although export performance in 2016 has been disappointing.

For companies with the right products that are willing to market and price competitively, Australia also presents opportunities. Australia exports meat to its Asian trading partners, in particular FTA partners China, Japan and Korea, and U.S. exports of equipment for raising livestock—as well as mowers and other power equipment—have done well in 2016.

This post is co-authored by U.S. Commercial Service Seattle Director Diane Mooney and Global Healthcare Team Leader Tembi Secrist who shared the lead in organizing the recent Discover Global Markets: Healthcare Connections business forum.

Hundreds of healthcare sector exporters from 33 states convened in Seattle, Washington recently for the U.S. Commercial Service’s Discover Global Markets: Healthcare Connections business forum to access the expert resources needed to identify and capitalize on new international market opportunities.

U.S. Commercial Service International Trade Specialist Young Oh counsels a U.S. firm on export strategies during the Discover Global Markets: Healhcare Connections business forum in Seattle, Washington.

The forum highlighted the importance of exports on the U.S. economy. “SMEs are an engine of economic growth,” said CS Deputy Director General Judy Reinke in remarks to conference attendees. “What you do in the global market affects the health of billions of people.” Reinke presented the below three firms with Export Achievement Certificates to recognize their international successes and the associated positive impacts on their local communities:

Pleasanton, California-based Theradome Inc. recently exported a device for treating hair loss to the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore, and anticipates export sales of $1 million to these markets over the coming year.

“It was a unique forum which brought together high-level intelligence from international markets, one-on-one meetings with U.S. Commercial Service industry specialists from around the world, and meetings with potential buyers and partners,” said attendee Francis Parnell, M.D., chairman and CEO of Parnell Pharmaceuticals. “The U.S. Commercial Service stands out as a government agency that truly supports the private sector. As a small U.S. company founder and CEO, I know they’re on my side and want to help me succeed.”

During the three-day conference, attendees heard from more than 50 healthcare speakers including industry leaders from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Intellectual Ventures, Microsoft, and GE Healthcare Clinical Business Solutions. Participants also joined interactive panel sessions addressing market opportunities in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America; as well as sessions focused on the impact of big data on global health, trends in medical travel, and regional regulatory and policy issues.

U.S. firms obtained up-to-the-minute market intelligence and export advice from U.S. Commercial Service (CS) specialists from 22 countries. In fact, 491 one-on-one counseling sessions were conducted with exporters during the 2 ½ day conference.

Additionally, U.S. exporters had the chance to meet with 17 foreign buyers from 10 countries who were interested in sourcing U.S. healthcare goods and services including health IT systems, medical devices, hospital HVAC systems and pharmaceuticals. The CS arranged nearly 270 meetings between 84 U.S. exporters and the buyers, resulting in at least 10 deals made during the conference. More sales are expected based upon feedback from U.S. firms and buyers.

The chance to network was another valuable component of the forum. In fact, Joel Rydbeck of Infor, who attended the Discover Global Markets: Healthcare Connections forum, said, “It was truly one of the more valuable events I’ve attended this year and I want to thank you for the helpful networking connections I was able to make.”

As Acting Under Secretary of International Trade Ken Hyatt said during his opening remarks, ITA provides a wide range of data and services to help small businesses identify market opportunities. For those who were not able to attend the Discover Global Markets: Healthcare Connections event or would like additional information on international healthcare sector opportunities, please visit the CS Global Healthcare Team website and review the market reports listed below.